Fun Indoor Activities in the Lakes Region

When looking for an indoor adventure on a cold or rainy day, you’ll have plenty to choose from when you find your perfect Lakes Region home in New Hampshire. There are classic games to enjoy in the world’s largest arcade, bouncing sessions at an indoor inflatable entertainment center, and a children’s museum for the kids. There are puzzles to solve in escape rooms, winery tours, and tasting, and world class museums for adults (and older family members interested in art & history). Here are some fun indoor activities in the Lakes Region to enjoy, and keep warm on a cold New England day. 

Kids & Family Friendly 

Funspot: Located in Laconia, NH the Funspot is said to be the largest arcade in the world! It was founded in 1952 and has over 600 games including a 10 lane ten pin & 10 lane candlepin bowling center, indoor mini-golf, cash bingo, and 300 classic arcade games. Your kids can win tickets for gameplay and cash the tickets in for prizes at the prize counter after a day of fun in the arcade. 

Jump N Joy: Located in Laconia, NH this indoor inflatable family entertainment center has five bounce houses. Jump N Joy hosts parties, fundraisers, and Open Bounce sessions. You don’t need a reservation for an open bounce session. But remember your socks! Shoes, sandals, and bare feet are not allowed. Open Bounce session is $12 per child (and there is free Wi-Fi for parents). 

Children’s Museum of New Hampshire: Located in Dover, NH this children’s museum will be a perfect day trip for families with younger children living in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire (an approximate 44 mile drive for Gilford residents). The museum is geared toward younger children, including ages 0-12. There are hands-on exhibits to explore: Nature, STEM, Pretend Play, Art, World Cultures, and more. The museum offers two “play sessions” most days. The “play session” is your date and time of visit. Online reservations are required for your visit. Ticket prices are $12.50 for adults & children over 12 months of age. There are also specific programs for preschoolers, babies + toddlers scheduled each month and camps, classes, and workshops throughout the year. 

Older Audiences 

Escape Hour House: The games are designed for participants ages 15 and older at this Gilford, NH escape venue. There are three escape rooms in the house with puzzles designed for groups of 4-10 people. The cost is $25 per player. Each game takes an average of 60 minutes to complete, but it’s best to plan on 80 minutes total (for instruction and post game revelry). 

Seven Birches Winery: Enjoy a tour of the winery and visit the tasting room at this Lincoln, NH winery. They offer a “Meet the Winemakers” tour on Wednesdays & Saturdays. The tour is limited to 15 people to encourage a conversational tour where visitors can have all of their winemaking questions answered. The $40 tour includes wine tasting with the winemakers. Cheers! 

Wright Museum of WWII: There are over 14,000 items from the WWII home front and the battlefield in this Wolfeboro, NH museum. The museum is closed to the public from November through April. We expect their doors will reopen on May 1st, 2023. Special exhibits and lectures are scheduled during the regular season. Recent lectures held in September of 2022 included “Immigration, Isolationism, and FDR” and “Anne Frank: If only I can be myself”. The Anne Frank lecture complemented a special 2022 exhibit “Let Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank” from July 1st to October 31st, 2022. 

Currier Museum of Art: Located in Manchester, NH this world class museum will make for the perfect day trip for art lovers living in the Lakes Region. The museum opens its doors at 10:00 am Wednesday-Sunday (but not on Monday or Tuesday). The original museum building opened in 1929, new galleries were added in 1982, and an atrium and additional galleries were added in 2008. The permanent collection includes works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Andrew Wyeth, and two complete homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (the museum homes are at their original locations in the North End neighborhood of Manchester). Current exhibitions include “State of the Art 2020: Locate” on view through February 12th, 2023, and “Memoirs of a Ghost Girlhood: A Black Girl’s Window” on view through spring 2023. Museum admission is $15 for Adults, $13 for Seniors, $10 for students, and $5 for youth 13-17. Admission is free for children under 13. 

The team at Maxfield Real Estate looks forward to helping you find your perfect home. Exciting fall adventures are waiting for you to discover and enjoy in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Contact us today!